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Concord woman pleads guilty to $250K federal fraud

CONCORD — A city resident is facing up to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally obtaining $250,000 worth of federal assistance meant for the needy, when her husband earned up to $89,000 a year.

Betty Dugan, 54, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to charges she used false information to obtain benefits from federal programs solely intended to provide help to impoverished individuals and families.From January 2003 to April 2012, Dugan received more than $250,000 from the Social Security Administration’s Supplemental Income Program, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 8 housing program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food stamp program and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Financial Assistance to Needy Families and Aid to Permanently Disabled Persons programs.Dugan admitted she obtained benefits by falsely reporting to the various government agencies that her husband was not living with her and that he did not contribute any money to the household when, in fact, he was a member of the household and his annual income ranged from $69,500 to $89,000.

Dugan also faces a fine of up to $250,000. She is to be sentenced Jan. 21.